Trump warns EU of tariffs over closer ties with Canada

US President Donald Trump has threatened to take action against the EU if it moved forward with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal to make Canada the bloc's first associate member.

"If they do that, if I think it's at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things," Trump told reporters on the way to an event in North Carolina, calling the proposal "laughable".

"And so, if they do that, if Europe does that with a bad intention, if it's a good intention, that's fine. If it's a bad intention, we'll put very heavy tariffs on Europe."

Von der Leyen announced the proposal on Wednesday during her annual State of the Union speech, attended by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, as she sought to deepen ties among allies in what she called "an openly hostile world".